Haryana govt schoolteacher booked for sodomising two Class-9 boys

35-year-old Sanskrit teacher allegedly assaulted the two while they were touring Karnal for performing in an inter-school event.

A meeting of Haryana child rights panel and members of the child welfare committee in progress at Indri, Karnal.(HT Photo)

A 35-year-old Sanskrit teacher of a government school in Indri has been booked for allegedly sodomising two Class 9 students during a tour to Karnal.

The accused, identified as Dr Shishan Pal of government (boys) senior secondary school in Indri, allegedly assaulted the boys, who were among a group of eight students touring Karnal to participate in a cultural programme on September 27 and 28.

Pal was on Thursday booked under the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after the district child welfare committee registered a complaint at the Indri police station. Indri Police Station in-charge Rajiv Kumar has said investigations are on to arrest the accused, who went on earned leave on October 7.

TIP-OFF LED TO INVESTIGATION

Haryana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (HSCPCR) member Paramjit Singh Badola said acting on a tip-off, he directed the district child welfare committee to record statements of the two students. Along with members of the welfare committee, Badola reached the school on October 9 and started investigation.

During counselling, the two students alleged that the teacher took them to a private hospital on the night of September 27, where he sodomised them. They added that Pal had earlier also tried to touch them inappropriately during rehearsals and used abusive language.

During counselling, the two students alleged that the teacher took them to a private hospital on the night of September 27, where he sodomised them.

In a complaint filed with the Indri police station, the CWC says that on September 28, the students had told the then school principal Ravindra Sachdeva about the incident, but he failed to take action and retired on September 30.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Paramjit Badola said, “Soon after we got information about the incident, we reached the school and started investigation on October 9. During counseling, two students alleged that the teacher sexually assaulted them. Another student also alleged that he felt Pal was doing wrong things when they were asleep.”

“We have filed a complaint with the police against the accused and action should also be taken against the then principal, who failed to take action even after the students informed him,” he added.

Later, on October 6, the students again confided in school in-charge Sarla Sangwan, who reportedly asked the accused to give clarification the same day. The in-charge told the commission that the accused admitted to his offence in a written statement. “After I came to know about the incident, I informed the block education office. The previous principal and BEO, however, failed to explain as to why police complaint was not filed,” Sangwan said. Sangwan, who was later given the charge of principal, also failed to register a police complaint in the matter.

‘INCIDENT EXPOSES SERIOUS LAPSES’

District child welfare committee chairman Surendra Mann, meanwhile, has said the incident has exposed serious lapse in the security of students in schools. During investigation, it was found that the accused teacher had taken the children for the tour a day before the event and made them stay in a Karnal gurudwara on September 26, he said and added: “The next day after their performance around 1.30 pm, he took six children to a private hospital in the city. Other two students had returned to Indri.”